Israel launches airstrikes in Gaza, 6 injured

GAZA CITY (Ma'an) -- Israeli air forces launched a series of airstrikes on several targets across the Gaza Strip early Friday, leaving six Palestinians injured.

Local sources told Ma'an that air forces targeted a steel structure near an Islamic religious compound in al-Zaitoun neighborhood of Eastern Gaza City, starting a fire in the area.

Spokesperson for the Gaza Ministry of Health Ashraf al-Qidra said that six injuries were reported injured as a result of the raid, four of which were children.

Al-Qidra added that the six were taken to the hospital with "minor" wounds from shrapnel and glass fragments.

Airstrikes also targeted the "Al-Fajr" site belonging to the al-Quds Brigades, the armed wing of the Islamic Jihad movement, near al-Matahen area in the city of Deir al-Balah.

Local sources said no injuries were reported in that strike.

Israeli air forces launched another airstrike in an open area in eastern Rafah, no injuries were reported.

The Israeli military said in a statement that the strikes came in response to two rockets launched from Gaza late Thursday, one which hit an open area near Sderot and the other which was intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome anti-rocket system.

Israeli forces "targeted three concealed rocket launchers in the northern Gaza strip, a terror site in the central Gaza strip and a weapon storage facility in the southern Gaza Strip," the statement said, confirming direct hits.